When a trusted product is discontinued, it can disrupt operations and create urgent sourcing challenges. At Ethox Chemicals, we specialize in reverse engineering discontinued chemical products, helping our customers seamlessly transition to reliable, custom-developed alternatives.

The process often begins when a customer reaches out and says something like, "Product X from Supplier Y is being discontinued, and we need a replacement." From there, we spring into action with a proven methodology that balances technical accuracy with business viability.

How Ethox Handles Reverse Engineering Discontinued Chemical Products

The first step involves an in-depth consultation to evaluate the business case. We assess projected volumes, application needs, and price targets to ensure the project is commercially viable for both parties. This early-stage alignment is critical for setting realistic expectations and avoiding potential bottlenecks later in the process.

If the economics make sense, we request a physical sample of the discontinued product, along with any technical documentation such as a Certificate of Analysis (CoA), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and known formulation data. These materials serve as the starting point for our laboratory investigation.

Next, we initiate a formal project by submitting a project request sheet to our analytical and R&D teams. The sample undergoes a rigorous analytical analysis, including techniques such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, IR spectroscopy, and titration methods. This allows us to uncover the chemical composition, molecular structure, functional additives, and performance attributes of the original material.

With the analytical data in hand, our chemists assess whether we have the reaction capabilities to synthesize the identified components. This evaluation includes considerations of safety, environmental compliance, and compatibility with our current processing equipment.

If feasible, we scale up the formulation in our pilot plant. This stage allows us to fine-tune the synthesis parameters – such as temperature, agitation, and reaction time – to replicate the product under controlled conditions. It’s also where we evaluate processing efficiency and yield optimization.

Validation and Iteration

Once the pilot batch is complete, we generate a sample that is sent to the customer for validation. The customer will test it in their own application to ensure that it meets the required performance specifications. If approved, we will proceed with a trial commercial batch. This trial ensures consistent quality when scaled to production levels and provides a further opportunity to troubleshoot any scale-up issues.

If the product does not meet the customer's expectations, we iterate until we get it right. We may modify the formulation by adjusting active concentrations, introducing alternate raw materials, or enhancing stabilizers to meet specific performance benchmarks.

Once a trial commercial batch is successful, we move on to full-scale production batches. At Ethox, our ability to reverse engineer and reproduce high-performance chemical products not only minimizes downtime for our customers but also establishes long-term reliability and trust.

Need to replace a discontinued chemical product?

Partner with Ethox Chemicals to reverse engineer a solution that meets your exact needs. Contact us today to get started.